The Merlies

The Merlies is a 2D exploration adventure about a community of tiny birds scattered across the land by a huge storm. You guide a growing squad of Merlies through a colorful world, using their different abilities to overcome obstacles, find hidden passages and uncover the secrets of its biomes. The birds are fragile, and there are no creatures or fights to face, but thorns, rocks and trees can block the way, and you must take care not to lose a Merlie.

Explore the wilds

Explore the map at your own pace through a world where human civilization has disappeared and nature is healing. Paths can be hard to find in the wild maze, while the remains of the old civilization offer scraps to collect. Everyday objects become enormous features of the landscape: Merlies climb electric cables and fallen billboards, jump on mushrooms to reach the sky and explore empty pipes.

Grow your village

Use collected scraps to build and decorate a village, provide for your Merlies and train them for exploration. Through recycling and upcycling, you can turn human junk into useful constructions: a lamp can become a cozy house, a slate a large map, and an ice cube tray a storeroom. Cooperation and solidarity help the community grow, making use of limited materials to create a better life for the birds.

A bright, hand-drawn world

The game’s visuals draw on graphic novels and children’s picture books, with expressive birds and a range of biomes to discover. Its post-apocalyptic setting takes a hopeful, solarpunk approach, focusing on community and creative reuse rather than dystopia.